Author: InsideHeads

Finding Your Funny

I came across this online article from The Atlantic and literally LOL’d myself into a good mood. It’s a great read about the weirdness of human behavior and how we animate ourselves to accommodate new means of communication like Zoom. The author, Faith Hill, is a comical social behaviorist from whom I can’t wait to read more. Please, Faith, do more!

Faith Hill’s article put me in such a good mood, it got me thinking. A dangerous course of action, in some cases, but this time all turns out well.

I googled (can you believe that’s a verb?) what we can do to put ourselves in a good mood and that lead me down a bit of a retail rabbit hole, from which I may never fully recover. A massive amount of email spam is sure to come my way from all the self-help articles I found myself dismissing (yet clicking, damn the click!).

What I discovered beyond all the sponsored content is that mood boosting can come from anywhere and can be anything. It depends on your personal preference, which leads to limitless possibilities. From looking at calming pictures to watching cat videos.

It seems we intuitively know what will boost our mood. The key, as with most beneficial things, is to do it. Take the time and watch the cat videos. Laugh at humans failing at almost everything you can imagine. Put the laughing Chewbacca woman on auto repeat. Boost your mood and you’ll always be happy you did.

So whatever legal behavior makes up your secret sauce to getting through the day, you just keep doing it. Life is short. And life can be hard. So take that break and do what makes you happy for a moment. You just might find yourself smiling. And who doesn’t need more of that.

Please share what you do to boost your mood! The Chewbacca Mask Lady Works. Every. Time.

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Getting a Grip on Grammar

My love of words is beyond explanation. Well, actually, the love is explanation. Grammar is my jam, and my jam may be different than yours. But words… words we can nail down. Even for the things we didn’t even know had names.

That thing that mechanics lie on and use to roll under a car when doing repairs? It’s called a creeper. Makes sense, still sounds weird. And probably going out of style, as almost every repair shop these days seems to have a lift, negating the need for said creeper. Words all come from somewhere, and this one came from a patent submitted in 1916 by a man named Axel, Axel Peterson. Can’t make this up.

That paragraph mark that shows when you reveal the formatting in your Word document? OK, maybe only I do that, but I think you’ve seen it. Did you know it has a name other than paragraph mark? And that name is rather cute: pilcrow.

While words may always be swimming around my world, I began to wonder who makes the grammar rules we were taught and accept? For example, did you know two spaces between sentences is no longer considered acceptable? And that “the” has disappeared from words like hospital and university? I hear newscasters doing it. I read respected news outlets doing it. Did someone one day just start doing it differently and everyone followed? Not possible, says my mind, so I dove in.

Space Space

Apparently the two spaces between sentences makes me an old fart, says The Wall Street Journal, said the practice “made sense in the mechanical age.” Mechanical age? And Google returned “common questions” to my search like “Why do boomers put two spaces after a period?” Now I’m a boomer from the mechanical age? What is going on??

Apparently this one wasn’t a committee, but rather the gradual transition to word processing from typewriters to computers, as computers “automatically format spacing”. Well computer, you’re just a really really smart typewriter and those of us from the mechanical age are hitting space-space whether Word notes it in error or not. I want to revolt and rally around the space-space, but I admit, I just don’t have the stamina. No fighting The Man on this one.

WF?

However… let’s talk about the loss of “the” in “American” English to certain longtime, comfortable terms.

Did you know there is no global oversight body that dictates English grammar? It’s some weird cultural collective change. I know the total number of words expand and contract over time, as different ones come into popularity or devolve into archival status, but grammar, the structure of our words, changes?

I’ve heard the Brits speak this way my whole life, but I had no idea they were fighting a tacit grammar battle, and won! Have you noticed? Apparently Google hasn’t, as I couldn’t find any article about how Americans are now using the British rules, but if you listen carefully, US media has accepted the grammar change without a fight or even an argument. Just the pink slip. Or pink slip.

How do you say it?

…. More

Travel Smarter

For some of us, it’s been awhile since we ventured out for something better. When it comes to travel in general, some silent shifts have been in play. Here are some tips for a peaceful, rejuvenating travel experience today. Because lately, the “T” in travel almost always stands for trouble.

Flying the Not So Friendly Skies

As for air travel, all I can suggest is to pack light and put on your happy face, as you’re going to need all the patience you can muster to get through it. Author Katie Way from Self.com, however, shares some excellent air travel tips, from stretching to staying hydrated.

Pedal to the Metal

For those looking for freedom that air travel seems to stifle, there’s the open road to consider. Travel & Leisure offers some helpful tips, but sadly there are still some thorns with which to contend.

With GPS practically surgically installed into our souls, getting to where you want to go has “never been easier.” That is, until the GPS navigator’s voice begins to grate on you, or contradict itself, or your phone’s GPS starts competing with your car’s, or when GPS tells you to make illegal turns you only discover when the policeman explains it to you. If you’re looking for some GPS Therapy, may I recommend this informative article from PC Magazine.

Self-driving cars simply scare the hell out of me. Maybe someday the trust will come, but until I can smooth out my relationship with my GPS, I don’t see myself giving up the wheel to technology. What do you think?

Boat? Drone? Jet Pack? How do you hope to be getting around in the future?

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Doodle Me Happy

There’s a reason kids like art class: They’re human.

While it may be common knowledge today regarding the positiviely human results of non-verbal communication, but did you know that the act of expressing yourself via art releases endorphins in that human body of yours? Beyond just feeling good, drawing can change the chemistry of your brain.

And the best news, for all of us doodlers, is that there are no rules. Go outside the lines. Use crayons and paint. Throw in some sand. Stick a cork on it. Your creative expressions need not be limited to two dimensions. Hell, go for 5.

No time to make creativity a separate class in your day? Sprinkle it into your life. For some, simply adding a new pen color to your printed calendar can make life feel like a party. Others of us need a little more to keep the work spark going, but however much sugar you want in your coffee, go for it. If work isn’t fun, life isn’t fun, and that’s just unacceptable. Thankfully, there are easy ways to make us better.

Point is, be free. If you’re like me and need to plan your spontaneity, keep a craft drawer full of scissors, glue, paint, and whatever else seems to scream “glue me” so you can be at the ready next time you need to clear the cobwebs. Because when the work wall hits, and hit it will, turn up the music and lift the lid to your personal pandora’s box of fresh ideas.

Doodle on!

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We Are All Super Human

1 Donor Can Save up to 8 + Improve up to 75 Lives

More at Donate Life America

Also seen on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/embed/feed/update/urn:li:share:7128698545490026496: “What it means when you sign up to be an organ, eye, or tissue donor.” by Katie McCallum

Some organs (like one of your two kidneys or a portion of your liver) can be donated to another human while you’re alive. Other organs, eyes, and skin are typically donated by a deceased person to help improve the lives of those left living. In a way, it’s the last, best gift someone can give. And for most of us, we can sign-up for this super ability simply by selecting “organ donor” when we renew our state-issued driver’s license. It’s all pretty fascinating. Cheers to humanity!

Organ donation improves lives, and dare I say it improves humanity. A lot of great organizations (HRSA, UNOS, AOPO, Donate Life America, National Kidney Foundation, the America Kidney Fund, Global Transplant Solutions, and more) are working to make allografts happen better and more often.

More from Penn Medicine on the subject. What do you think?

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Today’s Word: Allograft

Words from InsideHeads

Did you know, humans can donate organs, tissues, cells, etc. from their body when they are alive (yes, there are limitations), and also after death. Most deceased organ donations in America come from a generously checked “organ donor” box on the back of drivers licenses. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but God love the DMV.

Helping others by physically donating parts of yourself while alive is not for everyone. More people feel comfortable checking a remote box on a form that only applies if you’re dead. Others would give you an arm if they could. The beauty lies in in the diversity of thought and the undeniable equalizer of us all: humanoid.

For those who love words the way others love comfortable shoes, continue on. “Allo” means “other” in Greek, so making an allotransplant or allograft means the doctor is transferring human material between humans. While we may all be uniquely different, the vast majority of us are walking around with the same organ sandwich ingredients. If the liver in your body isn’t operating well enough, your life can be saved by either a living or a deceased donor. Yes, a living donor can donate a portion of their liver and the new liver grows like a flower from seed inside the recipient. And… the donor’s liver repairs itself. Crazy, right?

Donate Life America estimates that a single deceased donor can save the lives of up to 75 people. And then consider the friends and family who all love those 75 people. The exponential pain spare is off the charts.

Interested in learning a little or a lot? I’d start here to get the government’s assessment of the ordeal, then here, to see what’s happening to solve the problem. Here’s some more about what’s coming from InsideHeads.

Some surprising facts –

Bone Marrow Transplant Recipients and Donors have a national database and distribution procedure, while other organs (e.g., kidney, liver) do not.

Finding donors is managed locally and/or through the state, and operations for transplant are controlled by hospitals who promote their transplant services. Imagine if only certain hospitals could give you blood… it wouldn’t happen. So how are organs somehow able to operate as a form of currency between hospitals and insurance companies?

Rules of donor and recipient management vary by state and also obviously across the world. It is illegal in the United States to purchase an organ. We know that doesn’t stop it. We also know that hospitals do it, but they call it a service and the buyer is the insurance company. It’s all a little sticky.

Bottom line, regardless how you look at it, the problem is actually not supply. There are enough viable donors who die each year to provide those left on earth with needed life saving options. So it’s a sign-up problem? It’s a little more than that… but that sure sounds like a good place to start. Consider checking that “organ donor” box next time, and feel good about your life knowing you will be leaving the world a better place.

No pressure, but if you’re curious, here’s what’s needed in your neck of the woods.

Our questions breed more questions. What do you think?

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Crossing the Finish Line

Do you do it with everything, or just what you can?

Never giving up is a quality most of us just don’t understand.

If we could all be more like Bou Samnang from Cambodia, who, despite multiple challenges, and in front of a huge crowd, kept going. And going. And going. Her lesson to us lesser humans? Never give up. A sentence we hear, but rarely practice. Next time you want to give up, imagine doing it in front of the world. Cheers to you, Bou Samnang!

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Passion + Focus

Do you have what it takes to work less?

There’s a great story that almost sounds like a fable: a man decides to work less and his life improves. The End. While we’re left with more questions than answers, the tall tale continues through time, giving working people everywhere just an ounce of hope that someday work life will be better.

Well, fable this. There’s a real man named Josh Epperson who succeeded at what seems impossible: he worked fewer hours, his productivity increased, and his happiness soared. WTH? It’s a story worth reading in the Atlantic.

Are you willing to give Epperson’s experiment a try? Tell us all about it, please – inquiring minds!

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To Gift or Regift

That is the question.

Regardless whether you’re on the appalled or clever end of the spectrum, re-gifting is here to stay. Let’s forget about re-gifts you may have received, and focus on gifts you do receive and care to pass on. Here are some solid suggestions to follow:

  1. Re-gift a gift that’s appropriate for the recipient. A tennis racket to someone who doesn’t play tennis does not scream “you should try a new sport,” but rather says “I got this racket and now it’s yours.”
  2. Re-gift the item to someone in a completely separate circle of friends and family. Think about it.
  3. Re-gift new items only. If you have to search your closet for something to give someone, I assure you, they’d rather not have anything. Not everyone expects a gift, especially the older we get. That said, used gifts can be appropriate if they are family heirlooms and come with history and a good story. A broken display plate is never a good story unless your uncle used it as a shield in the Revolutionary War.
  4. Care. Sounds easy enough, but the physical gift is rarely what people remember. What people want to know is that they are loved, and that your thoughtfulness and kindness behind the gesture can be felt that way. So regardless the gift, take the time to write a sincere card with only positive statements. The latter can be tough, so practice it. It’s important. Nothing negative.

While there are other tips to consider, these 4 should keep you off the gossip list as a dreaded Re-Gifter.

However, let it be known that there is another viable strategy: to be renowned as The Re-Gifter. Do it. Own it. Keep that strategy going like a hot potato and you might be crowned King Re-Gifter, a title one can be proud of.

However you approach it, I say go full re-gift and simply be honest and consistent. Don’t be surprised, though, if the gifts stop coming. This can be both a blessing and a curse. Consider it a blessing, less toil on the the re-gifting.

Carry on, good humans!

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Keeping the Peace

From interviews to family table conversations, here are some ways to keep the calm and carry on

Indeed has put together a nice list, much of which involves listening and focusing on the person(s) with whom you’re speaking. People loooove to talk about themselves, so this is a nice parlor trick if you haven’t already figured it out. An abundance of conversation starters from Readers Digest here claim to make you more interesting.

If you’re like me, you remember names the way others remember license plates, so I repeat the person’s name over and over to myself after being introduced, hopefully silently. This doesn’t always work. What do you do?

Asking people questions about themselves, particularly ones that require an explanation or at least something beyond a simple yes or no response is a guaranteed winner. By getting them to talk more, you have more info to mine when asking follow-ups.

Listening was clearly dropped from the American academic curriculum, so a reminder to STFU while also paying attention to their answer.

My personal tip when in a group network? Ask and learn about one, maybe two, people at a time. More than that and you missed your calling as a game show host.

More tips provided by Indeed seem obvious, but you’d be amazed how many people don’t put them into their own practice. Basic advice like:

  • Introduce yourself (people appreciate not having to ask)
  • Say something about yourself (ideally a shared experience)
  • Ask for (or offer to) help

The latter surprised me at first, but makes sense when you realize that people like to be able to help (and appear to help) as much as they love talking about themselves. Get them talking about themselves and how they’ve helped, sit back with the cocktail nuts. Humans are fascinating.

Here’s to smooth sailing on your next opening sentence!